Search Sort Posts:  Oldest to newest Newest to oldest

21/04/2008, 20:59 Angus and Barbara McPherson Joined on 21/04/2008 Posts 3 french schools My wife and I are moving to France for good in 2011 our daughter will be eleven years of age . Will it be hard for her we are comming to the Lot valley are the schools good?    Report

21/04/2008, 21:08 Tressy Joined on 26/02/2008 Charente Maritime Posts 211 Re: french schools Gosh! Most people don't seem to know they're moving with this much notice. If there is one thing you can do, get French lessons, particularly for your daughter, before you come.  Things will be so much better for her if she's had two or three years instruction with the tutor knowing that this is to prepare her for school and life here. I know some people 'get by' and some do really, really well, but it would be a distinct benefit for your daughter.    Report

21/04/2008, 23:20 Sprogster Joined on 23/08/2004 Var & C.I. Posts 359 Re: french schools The general consensus from other related threads seems to be that 11 years of age is the sensible maximum age to move a child into a different education system and language. Any later and you run the risk that if your daughter struggles to pick up the language, or you have to return to the UK then it is very difficult to catch up on missed syllabus. The more fluent in French your daughter can become before the move, the better.    Report

22/04/2008, 20:04 JSA Aude Joined on 30/06/2005 Posts 225 Re: french schools Hi Tresco. Wow, how many times have we done this???  Just to say one happy story.  J and I moved here when our son was nine, straight into the little primaire in the village, no english speakers, now doing the brevet at college this year and hopefully off to lycee - still no brit friends but totally ok.  Good luck!!!    Report

24/04/2008, 12:56 Tressy Joined on 26/02/2008 Charente Maritime Posts 211 Re: french schools  JSA Aude wrote: Hi Tresco. Wow, how many times have we done this???  Hi there JSA.   I'm glad to hear your son continues to do well in school.  Did you choose his school after deciding where to live, or vice versa?    Report

24/04/2008, 14:34 JSA Aude Joined on 30/06/2005 Posts 225 Re: french schools Did consider sending him to the primaire in  the local town of the vicinity we had chosen to live in but, having decided on this house and having a little school in the village opted for the latter.  Definitely was the right decision as he then got to know the children in the villag/ locality who he went up to college with and are still his best mates.  The head was also his teacher, a super chap who, with his wife, was involved in the village fete etc thereby we ended up helping out at the various events and have done for the last six years.  Would highly recommend a village school if possible, much more convenient (!) and also enables the child to mix and make friends with the local children.    Report

03/09/2008, 18:21 harry2325 Joined on 02/09/2008 Posts 1 Re: french schools hello ,  I have been reading what people have blogged regarding schooling. this is the one area i am most worried about  we have a daughter just turned 11 and a son 6 . she is are main concern if we move over to france. she is a bright kid ( i would say that wouldnt i ).  does she immediately go to seconary school?    Report

03/09/2008, 20:29 Sprogster Joined on 23/08/2004 Var & C.I. Posts 359 Re: french schools harry2325, One of the main considerations overlooked by people looking to move to France with school age children is the very high statistical risk they will have to return to the UK, usually for financial reasons. It is estimated that well over 60% of British people of working age who move to France return or move to another country within three years to five years. For children of primary school age this probably does not matter, but for children at secondary school, the disruption to their schooling can be damaging to their academic success, if they have missed critical areas of the syllabus.    Report

03/09/2008, 20:38 Barbel Bob Joined on 13/05/2007 Dept 24 Posts 169 Re: french schools Hi, We came last year with a 13 and 10yr old, they have now both spent a year in a French school with many up and downs, i spent last week worrying as the youngest has just moved upto college......he has settled in great and loves it more than the primaire. We have been very lucky i think with  both children picking the language up quickly and feeling happy in France. We were told not to bring the 13yr old due to his age but he wanted to come and was keen to make it work, this has contributed to his success and i would never have risked it if we had to force him to come. Fingers crossed for them both for the future its still early days yet! Harry I think it depends on where you are, I have heard many children starting in the year below them or re-doing the same year twice, this never applied to our area and our children are still in the correct year that they would be in UK, so I would check with the school you have in mind. J    Report

Page 1 of 4 (30 items) 1 2 3 4 >

France Forum » Living » French Educatio... » Re: french schools

(Quick links) Forums Home |- Search Forums |- Active Topics |- Unanswered Posts User Options |- Sign In |- Join this community |- Forgot Password About This Forum (READ ONLY) |- About This Forum Moving |- Finding/Owning French Property |- Making the Move From Outside the EU |- Long-Term Letting |- Employment Vacancies in France Legal and Finance |- French Legal Issues |- French Finance Building and Renovation |- House Renovations |-- Working with Wood Living |- Earning a Living |- Driving |- French Education |- Pets |- Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection |- French Satellite TV, French Internet and Telephone |- Health |-- Changes to Healthcare Entitlement, CPAM, CMU and Cartes Vitales |- Swimming Pools in France Owning/Running a Business |- French Artisans |- Gite Owners |- Hotel and Restaurant Owners |- B&B/Chambres d'Hôtes Owners Leisure and Pastimes |- Gardening |- Sport, Leisure and Pastimes |- Shopping |- French Antiques, Arts & Crafts |- Photography |- Motorcycling in France |- Books and Literature |- Getting Married in France |- Pregnancy and Birth French Culture |- French Food and Wine |- French Culture |- French Language |-- French Language FAQs and Useful Links |- Wildlife/Nature/Environment |- French History Travelling to/from France |- Travelling to/from France |- Latest Good Value Deals to/from France Holidays |- Holidays General Discussion |- The Complete France Post Bag |- The Lighter Side |- Other Topics |- Forum Technical Support |- Useful Links About France/French Living Regions |- HOTEL SEARCH |- Central |- North East |- North West |- Paris Ile de France |- South East |- South West |- East |- West |- Corsica and DOM-TOMs